Suicide man shot his ex as she sat in pyjamas

Inquest told killer lured her to death

SARAH REGAN WHO WAS MURDERED BY AN EX BOYFRIEND BEFORE HE TOOK HIS OWN LIFE. POSITIVE ID BY WORKMATES (Photo: FACEBOOK)

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A man shot his ex-girlfriend while she was still dressed in pyjamas before he killed himself, an inquest heard on Wednesday.

Robert Hartrey, 45, travelled to Roscommon a few days before Valentine’s Day two years ago on the pretext of retrieving clothes and other items from his former girlfriend Sarah Regan.

Ms Regan, of West View, Cloonfad, agreed to meet him at a nearby ghost estate.

Her mother Ann McDermott told the inquest she had last seen her daughter that evening when, as usual, Sarah had cooked dinner and taken it to her father.

The 30-year old drove in his car to Spring Vale estate to meet Hartrey. But he shot her three times with a shotgun while she sat in the car.

The inquest in Ballaghderreen heard that Hartery then drove a short distance away to the car park of the national school in Cloonfad and shot himself in the head.

He had got a lift from Tipperary to Cloonfad earlier that evening from family friend Brigid Egan, who had cared for Hartrey’s mother and knew all the family.

The killer, from Mill Park, Grangemockler, Co Tipperary had three children from a previous relationship and was upset his relationship with Ms Regan had ended.

Mother of the late Sarah Regan, Ann McDermott gave evidence at the inquest into her daughter's death in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon (Photo: David Walsh)

The couple had moved from Tipperary to Cloonfad around seven months prior to their deaths, but he had returned to Grangemockler. Ms Egan said Hartrey was “a different man” since he returned home and that he had changed “big time”.

She added she would not have driven him if she realised he had a shotgun.

The inquest heard that a long, narrow cardboard box, which had been strapped, was torn open and was found in the back seat of the car when Hartrey’s body was found.

Ms Egan said that Hartrey took over the driving when they were close to Cloonfad as he did not want Ms Regan’s family to know he was coming and he had arranged to meet her elsewhere.

A series of text messages had been exchanged between Hartrey and Ms Regan.

Ms Egan went looking for Hartrey when he did not return and his phone rang out.

She said she was on the phone to his mother when she found him.

The witness thought he had a can in his hand when she saw him sitting in the car and it was only when she opened the door and saw the gun she realised he was dead.

The alarm was raised and retired Sgt Tom O’Connor said they knew the man had been in a relationship with Ms Regan.

Coroner Desmond P O’Connor, said it was very sad and traumatic for both families and that it was the first time such an incident had happened in his time.

He added: “They were young people with the greater part of their lives ahead of them.”